Adjustable resilient walking cane



Aug. 13, 1957 s. 1. HICKMAN 2,802,479

ADJUSTABLE RESILIENT WALKING CANE Filed April 11, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

United States PatentO,"

2 502 4 ADJUSTABLE RESILIENT WALKING CAN-E Samuel L. Hickman, Detroit, Mich. App icat on Apr l 11, 9 5 S i NO- 5 ,363

vs Claims. (01. 135-45 My invention relates to an improvement in walking aids and more particularlyto a walking cane which has an adjustable resilient portion for aid in easy walking.

It is. an object of my invention to provide a cane which has a spring or resilient action when pressed against. the ground and which may be simply and easily adjusted: to provide a stiff cane member.

It is also an object to provide, a came with a simple means for converting the cane from a stiff one. to spring or resilient one. It is a further object to provide locking means for the converting means whereby an resiliency is removed in the cane if the user so desires.

It is an additional object to provide handle means which when operated simply and easily places the cane in a stiff condition from a resilient condition. It is a further object to provide acane which has an adjustable resilient feature that. is quite inconspicuous and which allows the user to limber up on first walking and then, ifdesired, aneasy change of the cane may be madeto provide a stiff one. i

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

Figure l is a side elevational view of my cane in unlocked resilient position.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of my cane with the outer casing and lower tip end removed.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of my cane with some of the members in full line.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the plunger support removed from the cane.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my cane A is composed of the elongated outer casing which forms the main body of my cane. I further provide the curved handle portion 11 which is formed with a straight extended portion 12 of a diameter whereby the same will slidably fit into the upper end of the casing 10. The handle 11 and the reduced portion 13 may be made of aluminum, wood or any suitable material. The straight extended portion 12 terminates in an elongated reduced diameter portion 13. The reduced portion 13 has tightly fit thereon the elongated tubular member 14 which forms the greater part of the slidable telescoping bearing surface of the handle 11 with the inner surface of the casing 10. The lower end of the reduced portion 13 is conterminous with the lower end of the tubular member 14.

I further provide the elongated shaft member 15 which is threaded at the upper end thereof as at 16, and the threaded end 16 is engaged with threads formed in the lower end of the reduced portion 13. Positioned on the shaft member 15 is the tubular spacer member 17, the upper end of which butts up against the lower end of the reduced portion 13. In addition I provide the shoul- 2,802,479 Patented Aug. 13, 1957 aler-washer member 18 which is secured on the shaft 15 and tdthe lower end of the spacer member 17.

' Positioned on the lower end of the shaft 15 is the plunger support member 19 which guides the shaft 15 and iivhicih'is formed of the top portion 20' and the depending side portions 21. The top portion 20 has formed therethrough the centrally disposed hole 22 through the shaft member '15 freely extends. The side portions 21 have formed therethroug'h' the holes'22' the purpose of which is hereinafter set forth. Positioned on the shaft 15" is the washer member 23 on which the lower end of the spring 24 rests.

The spring 24'iskep't from buckling by means of the shaft 15- and is positioned between the shoulder-washer member 18 and the washer 23'. The shaft member 15 is preventedfrom being pulled out of the casing 10 by means of the pin 2.5 which extends through theextreme lower end of the} rod 15 when the rod 15 is placed in the position shown in Figure 3.. In this position of the parts thebolt 26 is then positioned through holes 27 formed in the lower end of the casing 10aud also through the holes 22 9f the member 19. The bolt '26 is then secured in positon by means of the nut 27'. To close off the lower end of the casing 1 0 and also provide anonend on my cane I provide the rubber tip member 28.

The casing 10 is also previded with the control and locking slot" 29 composeiiof the longitudinal portion '30, the shont transverse portion 31, the short longitudinal portion 32 and the lower short transverse portion 3 3 having-'1 formed at the end thereof the slightly enlarged hole portion 33". Secured to'the extendedportion of the: handle 11* is the lock bolt 34 which slides lengthwise off the" slot-ted portion '30 when the handle 11 is pushed downwardly into the casing 10 against the action of th e spring 24 and when it returns due to the action of the spring 24.

With the various parts assembled as in Figure 3 the extended portion 12 and the tubular member 14 are free to slide within the casing 10, and as these parts are moved downwardly into the casing, the rod 15 is free to move downwardly through the hole 22 of the support member 19, the spring 24 thereby compressed. In this position the lock bolt 34 is at the lower end of the slot portion 30 of the lock-slot 29 and is free to return to the upper position shown in Figure 1 due to the action of the spring 24, when pressure on the handle portion 11 is released.

Thus, with my cane A I provide a resilient feature which gives as the user presses the same in walking. If the user desires a stiff cane devoid of the resilient spring feature, he merely has to push downwardly on the handle portion 11 which moves the lock bolt 34 downwardly in the slot portion 30. Then the portion 12 is rotated slightly to move the bolt through the transverse slot portion 31 and thence downwardly through the slot portion 32, the short transverse slot portion 33, and into the enlarged hole 33 where the action of the spring 24 tends to urge the bolt 34 into the upper portion of the hole 33' Where the same is locked thereby providing a stiff cane. The bolt 34 is returned to the position shown in Figure 1 by depressing the handle slightly to remove the bolt 34 out of the hole 33' and is then returned upwardly through the portions of the control and locking slot 29. The cane is then in position for use of the resilient or spring feature.

I have thus provided a tWo-in-one cane which also will aid the user in walking up steps and on the fiat surface, for it may be dragged behind the user and manipulated to slightly push the user along.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a walking cane, an outer casing support, a handle member, means for slidably mounting a' portion of said handle in the upper end of said casing, spring means mounted in said casing adjacent ,said' handle member, a lock bolt secured to said handle portion, longitudinal slot means formed in said casing adapted to slidably receive said lock bolt, an offset slot including an upper short transverse portion, a short longitudinal portion and a lower transverse portion connecting with said longitudinal slot means for receiving said lock bolt to lock said handle in a semi-rigid or a rigid position on said casing.

2. In an adjustable walking cane, an outer casing support, a handle member slidably positioned in said casing support, a shaft member connected to the inner lower end of said handle member and extending downwardly in said casing support, means for slidably supporting the lower end of said shaft in said casing support, shoulder means formed on said shaft, a coil spring mounted on said shaft and interposed between said support means and said shoulder means to urge said handle toward the upper end of said casing, a lock bolt connected to said handle, slot means formed in said casing adapted to receive said lock bolt, and a U-shaped offset slot means connecting with said slot means to receive said lock bolt in a semi-locking and a locking position.

I 3. The device of claim 2 in which the means for slidably supporting the lower end of the shaft member consists of a U-shaped support member having an upper end member formed with depending side portions, said upper end member having a hole formed therethrough and through which said shaft extends, means for supporting said U-shaped support member in the lower end of said casing, and means formed on said shaft to prevent the same from being withdrawn from said casing.

4. In an adjustable spring action walking cane, an outer casing member, a handle slidably extending into the upper end of said casing, a shaft secured to the inner lower end of said handle and extending downwardly into said casing, a stop shoulder formed on said shaft spaced from the lower end thereof, guide means secured in said casing for the lower end of said shaft, a coil spring positioned on said shaft and interposed between said stop shoulder and said guide means, a lock bolt formed on said handle, the upper end of said casing having an elongated slot and connecting offset slot for receiving said lock bolt in sliding movement and locked position.

5. In a Walking cane, an outer casing, a handle member having a portion thereof slidably mounted in the upper end of said casing, a shaft secured to the inner end of said handle portion, a tubular member mounted on said shaft butting said handle portion and terminating short of the lower end of said shaft, shoulder means formed on the lower end of said tubular member, guide means positioned on the extreme lower end of said shaft, a coil spring positioned on said shaft and interposed between said shoulder means and said guide means for urging said handle member rearwardly of said outer casing, means connected to said casing for preventing said shaft and handle from being Withdrawn from said casing, a lock bolt formed on said handle and connecting slot and offset slot means formed in the upper end of said casing adapted to receive said lock bolt for slidable or locking engagement therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,077,836 Keresztfalvy Nov. 4, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS 358,032 Italy Apr. 5, 1938 624,246 Germany Jan. 16, 1936 

